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9 Ways AI is Powering Google Products

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Google AI

The past few years have seen huge breakthroughs in the use and application of artificial intelligence — and AI holds major promise for people around the world.  AI already powers Google’s core products that help billions of people every day.

Here are nine ways we use AI today to make our products even more helpful, including some of our recently announced features:

Search: When Google was founded, most searches happened on computers in homes, computer labs or libraries. Twenty-five years later, AI is making it possible to search in new languages, with new inputs (like searching with your camera or even humming a tune) and even multiple inputs at once. And now, thanks to multisearch, you can search with images and text at the same time with the Google app. So next time you’re inspired by an interesting wallpaper pattern, you can just snap a photo and add text to find that pattern on a shirt. The ability to multisearch is powered by the latest in computer vision and language understanding techniques.

Maps: Google Maps uses AI to analyze data and provide up-to-date information about traffic conditions and delays — sometimes helping you avoid a traffic jam altogether. Now with an immersive view, Google Maps fuses together billions of Street View and aerial images to create a rich, digital model of the world – letting you truly experience a place before you ever step foot inside. With AI, we use 2D images of a venue to generate a highly accurate 3D representation that models the true complexity of what a place is like – so you can see if a restaurant has great lighting for a date night or an awesome outdoor seating area.

Translate: uses AI and machine learning to break down language barriers and allow people to connect across the world. We’re continuing to push state-of-the-art ML-driven translation, now with 133 languages supported. And we’ve expanded the number of languages available on-device in the Translate app as well, with 33 new ones available to use whether you have a network connection or are travelling without one, including Basque, Corsican, Hawaiian, Hmong, Kurdish, Latin, Luxembourgish, Sundanese, Yiddish and Zulu, among others, to make helpful translations more accessible and less network-dependent.

Pixel: AI helps your Pixel phone instantly translate between 21 languages in chat, as well as facilitates a verbal conversation between 6 different languages in Interpreter Mode. It’s also what enables Magic Eraser to remove distractions from photos.

Photos: People take a lot of photos, but an abundance of pics makes it easy for memories to get buried. So back in 2015, we developed AI in Google Photos to help you search for photos by what’s in them. And more recently, we’ve used AI in Photos to help you revisit forgotten “Memories.”

YouTube: YouTube uses AI to automatically generate captions for videos, making them more accessible to a wider audience, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Assistant: Human beings speak like…human beings. For a long time, computers did not. The Natural Language Processing (NLP) AI technology developed for Assistant allows it to understand and respond in a way that mimics human communication — which allows it to parse the text of your question that tries to identify the meaning of your question. So AI is what enables your phone, your Home, your TV, or your car to understand what you mean by “Hey Google, where’s the closest dog park” — and quickly get you directions.

Gmail: We’re all familiar with features like autocomplete and spell check, both of which are powered by AI. But if you’ve ever wondered why Gmail is less spammy than other email services — look to AI. Our spam-filtering capabilities are powered by AI, and they block nearly 10 million spam emails every minute — and prevent more than 99.9% of spam, phishing attempts and malware from reaching you.

Google Arts & Culture’s “Woolaroo” helps 17 global language communities to preserve, expand and share their language with you. By applying machine learning, Woolaroo can recognize objects in front of your camera and propose translations for them – promoting language learning and preservation of heritage, including Mãori, Louisiana Creole and Yiddish.

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Airtel Africa, MTN Group to Share Network Infrastructure in Nigeria, Uganda

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mtn airtel africa network sharing

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Two of the major telecommunications companies in Africa, Airtel Africa Plc and MTN Group, have entered into agreements to share network infrastructure in Uganda and Nigeria.

The idea behind this is to cost operating costs and improve network coverage for quality mobile services to millions of customers, particularly in remote areas.

However, this would be carried out in compliance with local regulatory and statutory requirements.

The initiative is part of a growing global trend toward network sharing. By collaborating, telecoms operators can explore innovative and pro-competitive solutions to improve service quality while managing costs more effectively.

The sharing of infrastructure has the potential to enable the delivery of world-class, reliable mobile services to more and more customers across Africa.

Already, MTN and Airtel Africa are exploring various opportunities in other markets, including Congo-Brazzaville, Rwanda and Zambia.

Among the types of agreements considered are RAN sharing and those aimed at establishing commercial and technical agreements for fibre infrastructure sharing and, if necessary, the construction of fibre networks.

“As we compete fiercely in the market on the strength of our brand, services and our offerings we are building common infrastructure, within the permissible regulatory framework, to provide a more robust and extensive digital highway to drive digital and financial inclusion at the same time avoiding duplication of expensive infrastructure to drive operational efficiencies and benefits for our customers,” the chief executive of Airtel Africa, Mr Sunil Taldar, said.

His counterpart at MTN Group, Mr Ralph Mupita, while commenting on the development, said, “As MTN, we are driven by the vision of delivering digital solutions that drive Africa’s progress.

“We continue to see strong structural demand for digital and financial services across our markets. To meet this demand, we continue to invest in coverage and capacity to ensure high-quality connectivity for our customers.

“That said, there are opportunities within regulatory frameworks for sharing resources to drive higher efficiencies and improve returns.”

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MTN Nigeria Revolutionises Urban Living With MyLagosApp

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MyLagosApp MyCityApp

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A mobile application, MyLagosApp, designed to provide real-time updates on events, entertainment, hospitality, transport services and government-related payments, has been launched by MTN Nigeria in partnership with the Lagos State Government.

The digital platform was created by the Software Lab in MTN, according to the Chief Information Officer of MTN Nigeria, Shoyinka Shodunke, and is embedded with global security standards and practices with ISO 27001 certification.

At the launch of the app last Thursday, it was emphasised that security was a key priority in the design and development of the app to ensure the protection of user data and secure access to the app’s features and functionalities.

MyLagosApp, currently entitled MyCityApp on the app store, is available for download on both Android and iOS platforms. Users have been encouraged to download it to experience firsthand how urban living in Lagos has been transformed with the app.

The Deputy Governor of Lagos, Mr Obafemi Hamzat, while speaking at the unveiling of the app, reinforced the government’s commitment to leveraging technology for enhanced city management and connectivity.

He described it as a demonstration of the administration’s dedication to enhancing the lives of citizens through technological innovation.

“I commend the collaboration between MTN Nigeria and the Lagos State Government, alongside other key stakeholders, for making this vision a reality.

“This partnership is a testament to the power of technology in bridging the gap between the public and private sectors to drive innovation and improve lives.

“The app serves as a vital link between the government and the people, simplifying access to public services, providing real-time updates, and promoting transparency and accountability in governance.

“Whether you need to navigate government processes, access essential city services, or stay informed about key developments, MyLagosApp places all the information you need right at your fingertips,” Mr Hamzat said on behalf of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

On his part, the chief executive of MTN Nigeria, Mr Karl Toriola, said, “As we embrace the future of e-governance, digital entertainment and commercial innovation, initiatives like this are essential in making Lagos a truly smart city, and we are proud to partner with the Lagos State Government to drive digital transformation and enhance urban living.

“With the launch of MyLagosApp, we are leveraging technology to simplify access to essential services, improve connectivity, and create a smarter, more efficient Lagos for residents and visitors alike.”

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Data Privacy: Nigeria Launches Investigation into TikTok, Truecaller

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New Truecaller Logo

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has launched an investigation into the data processing practices of Tiktok and Truecaller, amid growing concerns over potential privacy violations.

This was disclosed, the chief executive of NDPC, Mr Vincent Olatunji, at a press conference in Abuja, where he also announced the issuance of the Nigeria Data Protection Act – General Application and Implementation Directive (NDPC act – GAID 2025).

According to Mr Olatunji, the commission is particularly concerned about how these platforms handle Nigerian users’ personal data, including potential breaches of consent, data sharing with third parties, and overall compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023.

He said the NDPC is actively investigating the data processing activities of Tiktok and Truecaller to ensure their compliance with Nigeria’s data protection laws.

He noted that the goal was to safeguard the privacy rights of Nigerians and hold organizations accountable for how they collect, store, and use personal data.

The investigation follows increasing scrutiny of global technology companies over data privacy concerns, particularly regarding how personal information is processed, stored, and transmitted beyond national borders.

The NDPC act – GAID, 2025 provides a comprehensive framework for the implementation of Nigeria’s data protection law, setting out specific guidelines for compliance, enforcement mechanisms, and obligations for both private and public sector organisations.

He emphasized that the directive aims to strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy by fostering trust in data governance while ensuring that individuals’ rights to privacy are upheld in line with international best practices.

Mr Olatunji further reiterated that companies operating in Nigeria must align with the country’s data protection regulations or face regulatory actions, including fines and potential restrictions on their operations.

The NDPC has called on the public to report any data privacy violations and reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and due process in its investigations.

The agency stated that reporting data breaches have become easier with dedicated channels of reaching out to the commission from its official website.

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